1. Do you feel that your school protects the constitutional
rights of your students effectively?

With respect to the Constitution and the school, do you drop the
Constitution at the door? I think sometimes given the context of a public school and
considering safety factor of students sometime constitutional rights are denied as they
are in society.

2. What do you define as the rights your students have?

The right to learn in a safe environment.

3. How do these rights compare to those found in the Bill of
Rights?

We deny constitutional right to bear arms, but for protecting
majority. Freedom of speech and press and due process are respected with in this school
community. Above all because your dealing with kids and school you use fairness and the
ruleboook, to deal with each situation differently. Give more and restrict rights by
individual cases, those that can be responsible have more rights.

Are you familiar with the supreme court case Tinker V. Des Moines?

(go over these facts from the case)

December 1965 as a protest against the Vietnam war, students
along with their parents decided on Dec. 16 and New Year's Eve they would wear black
armbands. On Dec. 14 the school stated that any student wearing an armband would be asked
to remove it or be suspended. The students were suspended. The courts favored the side of
the school in the lower courts.

The Supreme Court 7:2 stated that the student's rights had been
violated.

"It can hardly argued that either students or teachers shed
their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or the expression at the schoolhouse
gate... On the other hand, the Court has repeatedly emphasized the need for affirming the
comprehensive authority of the States and of school officials, consistent with fundamental
constitutional safeguards, to prescribe and control conduct in the schools...."

"If a regulation were adopted by the school officials
forbidding discussion of the Vietnam conflict, or the expression by any student of
opposition to it anywhere on school property except as part of a prescribed classroom
exercise, it would be obvious that the regulation would materially and substantially
disrupt the work and discipline of the school"

"In our system, students may not be regarded as
closed-circuit recipients of only that which the state chooses to communicate. They may
not be confined to the expression of those sentiments that are officially approved.

"the wearing of armbands in the circumstances of this case
was entirely divorced from actually or potentially disruptive conduct by those
participating in it. It was closely akin to 'pure speech' which, we have repeatedly held,
is entitled to comprehensive protection under the First Amendment."

5. Does the student handbook follow the guidelines set by this
case?

I don't know... but certainly I think kids have worn things
promoting, rainbow coalition as a demonstration of belief. Rainbow coalition is a
group supporting gay rights, we've had no problem with them in our school, along with
other groups.

Richard Arena: social studies
teacher student council advisor; Groton-Dunstable High School